Mood...

Students just finished studying Mood within short stories. I started the unit by reading and discussing an adapted version of The Tell Tale Heart, by Edgar Allen Poe. Students really enjoyed the spookiness of the story. I also used this as an opportunity to teach some reading comprehension by having them complete questions. The last of the questions allowed students to re-write the ending of the story from the point of view of a policeman or the old man (who gets killed). While some students struggled with the creative writing aspect of this task, it allowed students to become familiar with creative story writing, which is something we'll spend some time on this year.

Ms. Belofsky finished up the unit with lessons she created for her solo week(s).

Students:

• Explored the passages from novels, each conveying a different mood. Students had to work together to determine the mood of the story.
• Learned the difference between mood and tone.
• Read a short story (written by Ms. Belofsky) where students identify different parts of the story and the overall mood.
• Created and shared their own short story that projected a specific mood. They used graphic organizers to help develop the overall mood and plot.

Students demonstrated their learning throughout the unit through the use of exit cards, worksheets, journal entries and with their own short story. Ms. Belofsky conferenced with each student about their story, prior to typing, to ensure students were on the right track. Ms. Belofsky and I look forward to reading the stories. Students will continue to study elements of the story throughout the year and will have many more opportunities to write creatively!
PS... Be on the lookout for an upcoming post with student work from the WORD ID unit!